“Remember, someone who doesn’t acknowledge their strengths is just as skewed as someone who doesn’t acknowledge their foibles”
Let that sink in for a second. This was said by one of my instructors this last weekend at a writer’s workshop,
Donna Johnson (author of Holy Ghost Girl). She said it in relation to creating a character in your story. It struck me immediately and completely stuck with me but not about a character, about myself.
Have you ever met someone who can just do NO wrong and it’s their way or the highway?
I sure have, it’s a difficult person to be around.
But who out there is more likely to critique themselves only on what they have done wrong or what they have lacked in that day? I think a good portion of people out there are so quick to judge themselves based on these things, but how often do those types of people acknowledge their strengths? I’m awful at this. I am my own worst enemy and toughest critic by far and have a very uncomfortable approach to looking at something I have done right or even something I have succeeded at and be able to admit it. But you better believe I will call myself out for burning something in the kitchen, not meeting a goal I set for myself and of course all the ways I have failed my kids at the end of the day.
What if we allowed ourselves to focus on one of our strengths throughout the day instead of knock ourselves down for every mistake recognized. I know I can accomplish so much more when I feel on the profit side of the day then in the debt of the day. Give yourself a pat on the back every now and then and see where it takes you. Recognizing what those strengths are may lead you down a path you least expected but it just might be the most perfect one for YOU.
Don’t be the one who can do no wrong and is always right, we know that person, and probably don’t want to be around them very much. But don’t be the person who can only do things wrong either! Its not an always, every time kind of situation. Be able to accept the bad with grace but also accept the good and be happy to share it! When you take a moment to think about it, I think you’ll be so happy with yourself to see how much you actually accomplish and succeed at in a day.
You are the main character in your own story. But don’t forget, you are also the author of it. Take charge and give that character the best chance to make a one-of-a-kind best seller with the good, the bad, and the ugly, then back to the good again!